HARRISBURG – Indiana County Municipal Service Authority (ICMSA) has been awarded a state grant in the amount of $2 million to be used for an emergency water interconnection for the village of Barr Slope in Green Township, according to Sen. Joe Pittman (R-41) and Rep. Brian Smith (R-66).
The determination was made that the Barr Slope wells are no longer producing adequate water for the system demand to residents of Barr Slope. This emergency waterline project is crucial to the well-being of residents living within the Barr Slope area. The emergency contract was awarded to Pollard Land Services, and waterline construction began on Jan. 8, 2025.
“Access to clean, safe and reliable water is a critical part of ensuring the health of our local community,” Pittman said. “These significant system upgrades will result in a permanent safeguard to the water supply. Years of neglect have finally caused the Barr Slope system to permanently fail, and this new water line ensures professional services will be provided by ICMSA to the ratepayers going forward. Over the past few months, residents suffered massive inconveniences while several Volunteer Fire Departments stepped forward to keep the system operating. It’s time for Green Township to remove itself from the water business and allow a professional organization to deliver necessary services to the people of the township.”
“The people of Barr Slope in Green Township deserve a reliable source of water,” Smith said. “With this system in place, I hope residents can rest a little easier knowing a solid backup plan is in place to deal with any future issue that could strain the water supply.”
The water line extension consists of approximately 2.8 miles of 8” water line to achieve the tie-in between ICMSA and Green Township Municipal Authority (GTMA) water systems. This funding will be instrumental in ensuring that an emergency interconnection will provide water to the village of Barr Slope.
Marty Maschak, ICMSA Executive Director emphasized the significant impact of the grant, saying, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Senator Joe Pittman and Representative Brian Smith for advocating for this grant. Thanks to their commitment and continued strong support for assisting residents, it is possible for us to move forward with this very important project in an extremely quick and timely fashion.”
The grant is funded through the Department of Community and Economic Development Keystone Communities Program.
Media Contacts:
Kate Flessner (Sen. Pittman) kflessner@pasen.gov
Jake Gillespie (Rep. Smith) jgillespie@pahousegop.com